BRIDE-to-be Louise Harper-Bill was determined to make her mane wedding wish come true when she tied the knot in Iron Acton at the weekend.

The hairdresser, who lives in the village, has always been a lover of horses and wanted to involve her beloved mare Reg in her big day which took place on Saturday.

Much to the delight of well wishers who lined the streets from her home in Nibley Lane to St James the Less Church, Louise, 48, mounted the animal in full wedding regalia and rode him to the service.

“Why go by car when you have a horse,” said Louise, speaking before she married her partner Dave Morgan. “He’s my own horse and I wanted him to be involved.

“I didn’t dress him up in any way, he is beautiful just the way he is.”

She added: “I wanted something fun and quite spectacular. Reg will be quite excited.”

Keen to get his rider to the church on time, Reg trotted along the 10-minute route in no time leaving the nine bridesmaids following on foot with some ground to make up.

Angela England, a long-term friend of Louise and one of the bridesmaids, said: “Thankfully the weather was kind and Louise managed to ride Reg to the church.

“He did set off at quite a pace, leaving all the bridesmaids trying to run to catch up behind. We must have looked really funny, like something out of the keystone cops.

“As Reg was so quick, the bride did arrive a few minutes early but this wasn’t a problem as it gave the locals a few minutes to take in the scene.”

Between them, the bridal entourage had a combined age of 380 with the bridesmaids aged between 15 and 61.

“Originally it was going to be anything up to 20 bridesmaids,” said Louise. “Because they were all different ages and shapes and sizes there was no way they could all wear the same dresses.

“Instead I ordered lots of material and gave them all the choice to do what they wanted with it. My only stipulation was I would prefer them long and to wear silver shoes. I hadn’t seem them all before the wedding so it was a surprise for me on the day as well as everyone else.”

The couple, who have been together for two year, involved their three sons in the service with Dave’s children Brent, 26, as best man, and Ryan, 21, an usher, and Louise’s son Tristan, 17, who gave his mum away.

All for keeping it local, Louise and Dave, 52, a civil servant from Chipping Sodbury, enjoyed a reception at Iron Acton Village Hall including a hog roast provided by the Lamb Inn in the village and sweet treats from an ice cream van. Well known local band Tundra provided the entertainment.

The newlyweds are now enjoying their honeymoon, a cruise on the Mediterranean.